The Paris advanture
by inchacha
Summary: Steffy Forrester has to go to Paris as per her father's wishes. She has no idea of how this little trip is going to drastically change her life forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Liam looked around his house after Steffy had left. She was right on one account: he was going to miss her for however long she'd be gone. He thought of their time together, the ups and the downs. What he was sure of was that she had come a long way from the young woman who amused herself with seducing a man just to show that she could.

Of the three of them she was the one that had matured the most and that made her even more beautiful in his eyes. Even when he hurt her with Hope she was always there for him, being his friend as she had promised.

The difference between her and Hope was that whatever happened she never doubted him. While the blonde demanded explanations for his actions, Steffy didn't need to because she understood him. She got why he did some things and told him how no one should tell him what to do.

With that last thought in mind, he grabbed his keys from the side table and then was out the door in seconds.

Hope Logan made her way to Liam's house full of hope. This was her chance: Steffy was out of town and poor Liam was all alone, he was going to need some company and she would be there for him.

People would call her an opportunist but she didn't care. After all they had been through, all the manipulations and lies, none of it managed to separate them long; they always found their way back to each other and it only showed that they were meant to be together.

She pulled her car over the parking spot and made her way to the door. She tried the handle and found it locked so she rang the bell. After several tries, no one came to answer it so she tried the backdoor with no better luck.

Hope hadn't phoned him before coming, intent on surprising him but now she wished she had. The lack of a car outside should have been a giveaway for his absence but she had simply assumed that he had parked it inside the garage.

Seeing no other alternative, Hope tried his cell but was surprised when it went straight to voicemail. She left him a message saying she'd be waiting for him at his house and went to sit in her car. He'd have to come home sooner or later and she'd be ready for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Steffy made her way out of the plane like dozens of other passengers into the arrival area of the Charles De Gaulle airport lost in thoughts. During the flight, she had wondered what was wrong with her father for him to ask her to come and see him.

Before leaving LA, she had wanted to purchase an errand first but she realized that that would mean taking a later flight thus, seeing her father later than planned. Her worry for his well-being took over and she decided to do as planned and go straight to the airport. After all, her errand could wait a day or two.

When she fully emerged from the airport, she was met with a strange sight: Liam stood before her with a sign that contained her name. She stopped in her tracks and starred at him, shocked. Seeing him smirk was what made her move again only to come to a stop in front of him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I came to surprise you of course!"

That did nothing to satisfy her curiosity though. "No, that's not what I meant. How did you get here? I remember leaving you at home."

His smirk only grew at that. "Well, a master never reveals his secrets." Steffy starred at him, unmoved and he sighed in defeat. "Ok. I took the same flight as you and to make sure I arrived before you I asked the flight attendant to make the first class leave last because I wanted to surprise my girlfriend." He gave her a dazzling smile at the end. "So, are you surprised?"

Steffy managed a smile and shook her head. "Very. Only you could pull something like this."

"Well, I aim to please. Can I at least get a kiss for my ingenuity?"

This time, she gave a full blown laugh. "Oh come here you!"

She gave him the reward he deserved. She smiled into the kiss, happy that he had thought to come to Paris with her. She didn't know what was going on with her father but whatever it was, she would have some support.

She finally pulled from the kiss. If they didn't leave now, they would be here all day. "Let's go. I have to meet my dad and know what is going on. Then we can do whatever you want."

"Hmm, whatever I want? I like that plan."

The two of them laughed and he took her bag as they made their way out of the airport and into the French air.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Steffy came back into her suite to once again be surprised by a candlelit dinner. This day was full of surprises.

"Dinner is served!"

She smiled and sat in the offered seat. "Thanks."

He poured champagne for the both of them then took the opposite seat. "So, how is your father?"

"He's coping but he'll be fine. It's not his first break up with Brooke and I'm sure it won't be the last. I wish he'd get over her but I don't see that happening anytime soon."

"It must be hard for him. They've been together on and off for years. He asked you to come all this way to talk about his separation?"

She nodded. "That and he wanted to know how we were doing, especially Thomas after everything that's been going on."

"I can't imagine how hard it is for him. First your grandmother promises him her shares then your father names him CEO only for all of that to be taken away. He must be pissed? I know I would be."

"He is. Thomas was so happy to be given the chance to make a name for himself at the head of the company and now he feels like he has nothing. If I know him like I do, he'll be thinking of leaving LA."

Liam was surprised at that. "Really? He feels that bad huh?"

"Yeah, he's defeated. Ok, enough about family tragedies. Have you decided what you want to do tomorrow yet?"

"I have some ideas in mind but that'll be a surprise for tomorrow."

"Ah come on! Give me at least a hint," she whined.

Liam was extremely amused. "Ok, I'll give you one, just one: we won't get wet."

Steffy stopped jumping on her seat and frowned at him. "We won't get wet? What sort of hint is that? It doesn't mean anything!"

"Well to me it does. And don't try asking again because you won't get another one."

She snapped her mouth shut, arms crossed and pouted. "You're no fun!"

"Oh I can be fun alright… just not now."

Steffy burst out laughing and Liam joined her soon after. He was happy to see her so merry after the serious talk she'd had with her father. That was what made it worth it for him, the reason why he had followed her to Paris.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next couple of days, Liam didn't disappoint. He took her to a tour of Paris, both by car and boat. Now Steffy understood why he told her they wouldn't get wet. While they visited museums and the likes during the day, they visited some clubs at night. They still found time to spend a few moments each day with Ridge as he was the reason why Steffy came to Paris.

During a rare night devoid of night club, the couple decided to simply take advantage of the night air. Walking hand in hand along the Seine, each was absorbed in their own memories.

After a long moment, Steffy decided to break the silence with a question that had been on her mind for a long moment now. "So, did you tell anyone that you were coming here?"

Liam had to admit, he had expected her to ask that particular question, just not this late. "No, no one."

"Really, why?"

"Well, if I had told my dad, he would have talked my ear off on how it was a great idea and insisted on giving me some advices."

Steffy nodded. "Yeah, I can imagine him doing exactly that."

"And if I had told him all of LA would have known and you can guess what the Logans' opinions would have been, especially Hope's."

At that, Steffy tried her best Hope impression. "It's not because she's gone that you have to follow her, Liam. You'll be perfectly fine here."

"Exactly. For once I wanted to do what I wanted without having everyone on my back."

She swung their hands back and forth between them. "Well I, for one am happy for your initiative. But what did you tell your father to get off work?"

He gave a shrug. "I sent him a text saying I needed some days off to take care of some personal things. You did notice that my phone is off right?"

"Yeah, I wondered about that."

"Well, I told him that I would be reachable by emails only if something was wrong at work."

"Ingenious!"

"You think so?"

"Yeah, that way no one will interrupt us on our little vacation."

They lapsed into once again but Liam was the one to break it this time. "You know I've been thinking."

"Hmm?"

He tugged at her hand to make her stop which earned him a confused look. "These past few days have been great and insightful. They showed me how enjoyable life with you always is and made me yearn for more. What I'm trying to say is-" he knelt on one knee and took out a velvet box. He opened it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. The sight of it made Steffy gasp and cover her mouth with her hands. "Will you marry me?"

She took a moment to catch her breath while he waited with baited breath. "Yes" she finally managed to say, "YES!"

Liam laughed with her before putting the ring on her finger. The moment he was on his feet, he had his arms full with an exuberant Steffy who showered his face with kisses.

A long while later they resumed their walk, Steffy admiring her new ring. She finally took her eyes off it when a thought crossed her mind. "Oh my god! There is so much to think off, so much to do! When did you want to have the wedding? I'll have to call my mom and ask her for some advice-"

She was well on her way to ramble on about wedding plans when Liam interrupted. "Actually, everything is taken care of."

That was unexpected. "What do you mean?"

"Well, last time you took care of everything so I thought it was my turn. Well, I didn't do much of anything. It's more like your mother told me what to do."

"Wait a minute, my mom knows?"

"Yeah and your dad too." She gave him a look. "What? I had to do it right this time by asking his blessings - we have them by the way. As I was saying, everything is ready and this time we'll get married with our family besides us. That includes your parents and brother and my dad."

"You managed to convince them to come here?"

"Sure. Although, only your mom knows why they're coming. I asked her to go ask my dad that you wanted them here for a big event but didn't know what it was. He'll tell Katie that he's going away on business and they'll use the Spencer jet. They'll be here tomorrow."

Steffy gave him a soft smile. "You've thought of everything, I see?"

"Yep. All that's left is your dress which your mom will help you with. Your dad designed it on record time. Said he had waited a long time for this occasion."

"I'll be fine with that!"

"I'm sure you will."

Liam gave her a smile before leading her back to their hotel. The next couple of days would be very interesting for the two of them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

On the other side of the Pacific Ocean, Bill Spencer was boarding his jet accompanied by Taylor and Thomas Forrester.

"So what are we going to Paris for?" Bill asked for what seemed like the millionth time.

"I'm sure Steffy will explain everything once we get there."

Bill frowned at the automatic answer. "Is she alright though?"

"Yeah, I tried calling her without any success?" Thomas put in his brotherly concern.

"Me neither."

Taylor put her hands up in surrender. "I can assure you two that she's perfectly fine. I was on the phone with Ridge just a moment ago and everything is just fine."

Both men exhaled a breath of relief. That was good news but there was still the question of why she wanted to see them and why all the secrets? They tried running every scenario their minds could possibly come up with but none of them could come close to the truth. Their guessing had to be put on hold when the pilot announced their imminent take off.

As for Taylor, she sat on her corner of the plane observing the men. She was quite amused to see them wracking their brains trying to figure out what they were going to Paris for. They were going to have the shock of their lives that was for sure. At least she had the time to take the news in before them. It wasn't something she had expected to happen when her daughter announced that she was going to Paris to visit her father.

For those that were staying on solid ground things weren't going well at all. Hope was curled up on her mother's couch, deep in thoughts. She still had had no luck getting a hold of Liam and she was getting frustrated.

"You alright, honey?"

Hope started and lifted her eyes up to find her mother and aunt Katie in front of her. She hadn't even heard them entering the house, let alone the room.

She sighed. "Yeah."

Her mother gave her a sympathetic look. "Still nothing from Liam?"

"No, and I don't understand it either! I thought with Steffy out of town this would be my chance to win him back but I can't find him anywhere."

Brooke got a sudden look in her eyes. "You don't think he could have joined her in Paris, do you?"

Hope would have laughed at the ridiculous idea if she hadn't been so tired. "No, he's not that stupid. I know he's not with her; I just can't get why he left his house and won't answer his phone. And Bill refuses to tell me where he went to." She turned to her aunt then. "Did he tell you anything about Liam, aunt Katie?"

Katie shook her head in the negative. "Sorry, honey. I tried but he said he doesn't know where he is, just that he needed some time off."

It was official now: Hope was royally exasperated. She dropped on the couch, head thrown back. "Where the hell is he?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Hours after leaving LA, the Spencer jet landed in Charles De Gaulle to the relief of its passengers. The American trio was surprised to find a car with a chauffeur waiting for them at exiting the airport. They were immediately lead to their hotel rooms, which happened to be in the same hotel as Steffy's.

Once refreshed, they regrouped at the door to Steffy's room. Taylor knocked and it only took a few seconds for it to be answered.

"Hi mom!"

"Hi Steffy! Oh, I'm so happy to see you!" Mother and daughter hugged tightly. "How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm great!"

They heard a throat clearing from behind Taylor and that was her cue to let go of her daughter so the latter could hug her brother and ex and soon to be again father-in-law.

"Come on in, lunch is ready."

She led them in and they found Ridge waiting for them near the table. Once the greetings were made and over with, they all moved to take their seats at the table.

Thomas looked around the table, perplexed. "What's with the extra plate, Steffy?"

"Oh, we have to wait for one more person." A knock was heard from the door. "Talk about the devil." She went to the door and greeted her last guest. "Hey!"

"Hey!" Liam pecked her on the lips and then entered the room.

Needless to say, two of the people in the room were very surprised to see the young man in Paris, let alone in the room with them.

Bill stood from his seat. "Liam? Where the hell have you been and what are you doing here?"

"Glad to see you too, dad."

Bill accepted his son's hug, still out of it. What was going on here was a total mystery for him and he didn't like that at all. As a business man who didn't like going blind he had made an exception for Steffy by coming here but not bombarding her with questions was getting difficult by the minute.

They started eating once everyone was seated again, Steffy and Liam side by side. The moment was spent with idle chatting but it didn't last very long.

A silence had descended over the table and Bill had enough. He dropped his fork and knife then folded his fingers together. "Ok, now. Who's gonna tell me what is going on? Steffy?"

Steffy opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted. "Actually, dad, I was the one to ask you here."

Bill was more than puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Liam called me and explained his plan. I helped him find a way to get both of you here without spilling the bins" Taylor explained.

"Well, that was ingenious, I'll get you that. But that still doesn't tell us why we're here since it seems that only Thomas and I are in the dark."

Liam took Steffy's hand in his. "I asked Steffy to marry me."

"And I accepted of course!" the bride chimed in, making everyone laugh.

"The wedding will be tomorrow and then we'll leave for the honeymoon while the rest of you go wherever you wanna go."

After that came the round of congratulations to the couple. While Steffy was discussing wedding details with her mother and Thomas and his father were absorbed to their own, Bill wanted to congratulate his son properly.

"I have to say, you surprise me son. I didn't know you were capable of something like this."

Liam feigned disappointment. "I thought you'd approve?"

"Oh believe me, no one approves more than I do. It's just… I can't even explain it, I'm shocked."

Liam couldn't let an occasion like this pass. "Bill Spencer speechless, it's a miracle!"

The two shared a good laugh. "Don't get used to it! Seriously though, I'm proud of you son."

"Thanks dad." He shot a long look Steffy's way, admiring her. "I finally managed to see how right she was for me and I won't let anything come between us ever again. This time is for good."

Bill followed his son's gaze then patted him on the back for his declaration. "I'm glad you could finally see it."

After all the discussions were over, the women separated themselves from the men. Taylor took her daughter out for some shopping and then to a spa-center to get pampered. It was the day before her wedding day after all and she wanted to treat her daughter, something she hadn't had the occasion to do the first time.

The men too went out for the day. Although they didn't appreciate each other much, they decided to forget all the animosity for the next couple of days. After all, they were all going to be a family soon.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The day had finally arrived and Steffy couldn't wait. She stood before her mirror and studied herself in her dress. In her opinion, it was her father's best creation and she felt beautiful in it. Her mother's day out had helped too since she had never felt so refreshed.

Said mother entered just then. "Hey. You look absolutely gorgeous!"

"Thanks mom."

Taylor took another long look at her and she teared up. "I wish your grandmother and sister were here."

"Yeah, me too. It would have been great spending yesterday and today with them, three generations of Forrester women together." She started sniffing too. "Look what you've done, mom! Now I'm crying too."

Taylor laughed through her own tears. "It's well known, people cry at weddings."

"Yeah, but not the bride" she said, dabbing at her eyes, "at least not before the wedding!"

"Come here, I'll help make you beautiful again!"

Steffy gave her a soft smile. "Thanks mom. I don't know what I would have done if you weren't here."

"Well, you can thank that soon to be husband of yours."

"Oh, I'll show him how grateful I am alright!"

Mother and daughter shared a good laugh before moving onto the ceremony.

Steffy found herself once again before a mirror but with a different reason and totally different scenery. She could hardly believe that she was now Mrs. Liam Spencer again. It all went on like a blur but it was still memorable.

She put a hand on her stomach, imagining how different she would be in a few months time. Many things were going to change, not just her. For starters, she was married and intended to make it work.

Bill had left the Spencer jet at the disposal of the newlyweds while he, Taylor and Thomas went back to LA. As promised, Liam took her to their honeymoon to her favorite place, no less. With one last glance at the mirror, she left the bathroom with a little rectangular gift-wrapped package in hand.

She found Liam lighting candles in the bedroom and simply looked at him. When he was finished, her turned to her.

"Hey." He eyed her in her new lingerie. "Wow, you look beautiful!"

"Thanks." She handed him the package he hadn't noticed until then. "Here, this is for you."

"What's this?"

"Your wedding present."

He followed her to the bed and sat down facing her. "But I didn't get you anything."

"That's ok. The wedding was enough for me and this is not just for you, it's for both of us."

Liam wasn't sure he understood what she was saying but he trusted her so, "Ok."

He carefully unwrapped it to be met with a stick. Puzzled, he took it out and then froze. "Is this- is this what I think it is?" he managed to breathe out.

Steffy, teary-eyed herself, nodded and then gave a soft "Yeah."

He gave a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a whimper, hardly believing what she was telling him. "We-we're having a baby?" again a teary nod. "I can't believe it: we're having a baby!"

This time, it was more a confirmation than a question but Steffy felt compelled to answer anyway. "Yes, we're having a baby."

He fully laughed now and then got up from the bed, taking her with him and hugging her tightly. "I'm so happy; _you_ made me the happiest man alive." He took her at arm's length to be able to look at her in the eyes. "I love you, Steffy!"

"I love you too."

An hour later, they were sitting on the bed, eating strawberry and talking when Liam decided it was a good time as any to start the round of questions.

"So, how long have you known that you were pregnant?"

She took a moment to think. "I suspected it the day I left LA. I was on my way to the drugstore to buy a pregnancy test when I realized all that would entail if it was positive so, I decided to postpone it. If I had found out then, I wouldn't have been able to leave LA and come and see my dad."

Liam thought about it. "That makes sense. I'm happy you waited until today to find out. It was a wonderful surprise."

"Yeah?"

"Yes. And now we'll have time for ourselves to celebrate both events before involving everyone once we get home."

"I agree." She waited a second then, "Some people are going to be shocked."

"And some are going to be over the moon!"

They both exploded in laugher then, thinking about it all. It was all true though. Bill and Taylor were going to be so happy at the prospect of a grandchild (she'd have to call her father to give him the news). Thomas, it would get some time for him to get used to it but in the end, he'd also be happy to become an uncle.

Unfortunately, there wouldn't be only happy people once the news was out. The Logans were going to be very cross at the news. Well, there was nothing they could do to change it and Hope would have to get used to the idea that Liam would never again be an option to her. He was starting a family with his wife now.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Liam sat in the Spencer jet looking out the window and day-dreaming. He had had an incredible honeymoon and he wished it could have lasted longer than a week but they had to go back home eventually. A smile came to his lips when he remembered the last two weeks and all the surprises that came with them.

He looked up when Steffy came in then, phone in hand. "Hey. You got your father then?"

She took a seat opposite him. "Yep."

"What did he think of our news?"

"He said he's happy for us and wishes us all the best."

"Well that's something. You ready to get back to reality?"

Steffy sank back on her seat and groaned. "I'd rather we stayed in Aspen!"

Liam smiled at her. "Yeah, me too. But we can't avoid going back forever."

"I would have been happy to try."

Liam laughed at that, taking the seat next to her and claiming her hand. "Well it's too late now. We're about to land in LA so we better buckle up."

"Ok. So, what's the plan once we get back?"

"We have a reception to get to."

Steffy frowned, confused. "A reception? Whose reception?"

"Ours of course." When she continued staring at him, he elaborated. "It was your mom's and my dad's idea. They said it's a way to break the news to everyone that wasn't there and give them the occasion to celebrate."

"Mm a party, I like it!"

"I knew you would. That's why I agreed to it."

She hummed in response, head on his chest. "So, where are we going to have this party of ours?"

"At Eric's."

"That is an excellent idea. Short of not having the wedding there, we'll have a reception."

"Also your mother's idea. You can tell she knows you very well."

"Yeah. She's a great mom. I hope I'll be as good as her."

Liam placed a kiss on her head, combing his fingers in her hair. "You don't have to worry about that. I know you'll be even more than that."

She simply gave a grateful smile at the compliment.

Brooke came home that day really excited. She had barely made it through the door that she was already shouting her daughter's name. Said daughter, worried by the tone of her mother's voice, came running down the stairs.

"What is it mom? Did something happen?"

Brooke gave a big smile and grabbed Hope's shoulders. "Honey, I just learned from Katie that Liam is back in town!"

Hope's eyes opened wide, full of hope. "Really? Where is he?"

"I don't know but the important thing is that he's back. Isn't that great?"

"It-it's more than great, this is my chance!" She frowned, a thought coming to her mind. "But how did aunt Katie know he's back if she doesn't know where he's been?"

"Bill told her they had to meet with him for an important evening but wouldn't to tell her what or where it'll take place."

Hope frowned. "He sure as hell seems mysterious for a simple night out with his family."

"Yeah. I can't imagine what that could be about. It's not like him to keep that kind of secret about his son's life."

Hope got up, face resolute. "Well, secret or not, I'm going to wait for him at his house. I may not know where they are meeting but I know where he will be later tonight."

She received an encouraging smile from her mother. "Go for it honey and have a good night!"

"Thanks mom!" Hope was already running up the stairs and simply shot the words over her shoulder.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

In the meantime, the newlyweds were standing in front of the door to the Forrester mansion, ready to enter it. They had changed accordingly in the jet and then rode directly there, ready for the party. One of the perks of having a jet was that you could have plenty of room to rest so they had plenty of energy to party.

Liam put a hand on the doorknob and then turned to his wife. "Ready?"

She smoothed her dress down before straightening her pose with a deep breath. "Yep, as I'll ever be!"

He took her hand in his free one. "Come on then Mrs. Spencer!"

They entered and immediately got the attention of the entire room.

As the acting hostess of the party, Taylor approached the couple, offering them glasses of champagne. She then lifted hers and faced her audience. "Ladies and gentlemen, meet the new Mr. and Mrs. Liam Spencer!"

Although people were shocked at the news, they quickly toasted to the couple and then applauded, led by none other than Bill Spencer.

Standing in her corner while her husband moved on to congratulate his son and daughter in law, Katie thought about how this whole situation had been organized. Upon arriving and realizing that the dinner they had to attend would take place at the Forrester mansion, she had wondered why her sisters and niece were not invited. It would have only made sense since Liam would be there too but now she understood why all the secrecy. Taylor and most certainly Bill had intended for Hope not to be there – now that she thought about it, maybe it was for the best. She was going to be devastated by the news.

Another thing Katie wondered about was how those two could possibly have married in the couple of weeks they had been out of town. It wasn't like Liam to simply up and leave without telling anyone so something was fishy here.

Steffy must have pulled the same trick she did the first time to get him to marry her. There was no way he would have married her, not after everything he and Hope had been through to realize that they were made for each other. Katie was going to dig until she found out what was going on here.

Just then, she realized that Liam was addressing the whole room, Steffy stuck at his side.

"So, knowing how much my wife likes to party, I will make this speech as short as possible." Steffy jabbed him on the ribs but he simply rubbed the tender spot and rushed to go on, to the room's amusement. "You see, she can't wait to start so excited she is!" He managed to avoid her elbow this time before taking on a more serious tone. "You'll all notice that we got married out of town but this time we were in the most romantic place of the world and I couldn't resist." He gave said woman a soft smile. "I simply had to ask this beautiful woman to be my wife (again) there and then. But we weren't alone, we were lucky to have had our family there to share that moment with us. And now, we get to share and celebrate with all of those who couldn't be there with us so thank you, for being here."

He shared a kiss with his wife under the guests' cheers and applause. Once everyone was silent again, it was Steffy's turn to speak. "Liam already said everything that had to be said except for one thing. You're all family here and being gathered in this house means that we can tell you all at once that I'm pregnant: Liam and I are going to have a baby!"

That last news generated another round of congratulations and hugs to the couple. It was then that the party was transformed into a gathering. The women were on one side going over the details of the wedding and honeymoon while the men were on another talking about what men usually did and congratulating the father to be on a job well done.

All in all, it was a very tired couple that made their way home that night although Liam was not too tired to carry his wife over the threshold and welcome her back home. They went straight to the bedroom for a well deserved night of rest, even though they didn't have to go back to work for a couple of days yet.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Early the next day, Brooke came down from her bedroom to have breakfast and was surprised to find her daughter already there, sipping on a cup of coffee.

"Hope? What are you doing here? I thought you'd spend last night and today with Liam?"

"I thought so too."

"What do you mean?"

"I would have done all of that if the man in question had been home last night."

Brooke was more than surprised at that. "You mean he didn't come back home last night?"

Hope shook her head. "At least I didn't see him and I can tell you I waited very late."

"Maybe he returned just after you left?" Brooke suggested, trying to be supportive.

"But I don't see what could have kept him out all this time. I didn't get any sleep last night thinking about it."

"You shouldn't worry so much honey. I'm sure it's nothing. If you're that restless over it just go over there now. He shouldn't be up yet."

"Yeah. That's what I was about to do." She gulped down what was left of her coffee and then kissed her mother goodbye.

Fifteen minutes after her daughter left, Brooke was surprised to hear her front door being opened so she turned around to find it was her sister Katie.

"Katie, hey. How are you?"

"I'm fine thank you."

"So, how did your night out with your family go? You all must have had many things to catch up on, Hope said Liam must have gone back home pretty late because she didn't get to see him?"

Katie felt uneasy at where this was going. "Yeah, about that, is she home?"

"No, you just missed her. She went back to Liam's house, isn't that great?"

Katie's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "No, it's not great at all. It's even horrible. You have to call her back, now!"

Her tone worried her big sister. What could be so bad about Hope going to see Liam that Katie would get so agitated over it? "What is it Katie? Why can't Hope go see Liam and patch things up?"

"Because it's too late! Call her back here, Brooke!"

"Ok, ok. I'll do it."

She dialed her daughter's cell but the two of them were surprised when a ring tone went off on the coffee table besides them. Hanging up, Brooke went over and lifted the phone. "She must have forgotten it in her hurry to get there."

Katie dropped on the couch, hands covering her face. "Oh no! I am too late."

Brooke came over and sat down besides her. "What is going Katie?"

Katie took a deep breath before talking. "That event Bill and I were invited to, it was at Eric's."

Brooke frowned. "But Eric never organizes that kind of event without inviting all the family there and I know Hope and I weren't; we didn't even know about it!"

"That's because Taylor was the one to organize it."

The blonde got an understanding look in her eyes. "I can see why we weren't invited now. But why were you and Bill?"

"Because it was a reception in their children's honor: Steffy and Liam got married in Paris a week ago."

Brooke froze in shock. So that was the reason why none of them could get a hold of the young Spencer boy for a couple of weeks now.

"There is worse."

Brooke's eyes went back to her sister. How could there be worse news for her daughter than that of the love of her life being married to someone else? And not anyone else but Stefffy of all people!

"Steffy is pregnant."

That was it for Brooke. She couldn't move, only one thought running through her mind: Hope was going to be devastated once she learned of all that. And to think, none of them could warn her of what she was about to stumble into.

She stood up suddenly and grabbed her purse and keys, getting her sister's attention. "Where are you going?"

"To Liam's house. If what you're saying is true and Steffy is there, then Hope is going to need me. She can't go through this alone."

Katie stood too. "I'm coming with you."

"Good idea. She's going to need all the help she can get. God only knows what crap Steffy pulled this time to take her boyfriend from her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Steffy made her way to her kitchen with the intention of making breakfast for her and her husband. She was going through the movements, lost in the memories of the previous night. Actually, she was going over the memories of the last couple of weeks. Liam's simple act of joining her in Paris had changed their lives for the best. They were now going to move on with their lives, together with their little family and they couldn't be happier.

She paused in the middle of the kitchen. She may not have paid attention to what she was doing but she was sure that there was nothing edible in the cupboards or the fridge. Two weeks out of town, it was bound to happen. They should have thought of asking Bill to take care of it. Now they would have to go out for breakfast.

Having made a little cup of coffee for herself, Steffy seeped it while moving to the living room area. She would have loved to get back in bed with Liam but there was too much to do and it wouldn't leave her mind.

Taking a seat on the couch, she was about to reach for her laptop when there was a knock at the door. She starred at it blankly: it was awfully early for anyone to come and visit them on their first day back. She moved to answer it anyway, not suspecting the surprise waiting for her on the other side.

"Hope!"

"Steffy! What are you doing here?"

"I am where I'm supposed to be." She scowled when the blonde shouldered her way into the house, uninvited. "The real question is: what are you doing here?"

"Aren't you supposed to be in Paris with Ridge?"

Steffy looked at her, bemused. "That was two weeks ago and he's doing perfectly fine, thank you. As a matter of fact, I came back yesterday night. It's nice of you to come and visit me."

Hope's gaze finally settled on the tall brunette. "Don't flatter yourself, Steffy. I came to see Liam."

"And I didn't expect anything else from you. Liam is still in bed. I see you're blind to everything but him, as always; so much so that you don't recognize sarcasm when you hear it."

"I'm not blind to your manipulations, Steffy. I'm sure that's why you're here: to get Liam back into you clutches."

Steffy lifted her eyebrows at that, not the least bit impressed. "I don't need to get him back into anything, Hope. We're together and I live with him, in this same house."

"Only because he couldn't be with me after Rick's lies."

Although Hope's tone was rising, Steffy had no intention of stooping to that level. She had done nothing after all. "Rick may have lied about that night, Hope but you were the one that chose to believe him over Liam."

"And you couldn't wait to take advantage of his vulnerable state of course! As soon as you learned that we weren't together anymore, you went straight to him."

"Hope, I think you're mistaking me for someone else: I don't take your left-overs. Liam and you didn't work out, he needed a friend and I was there, simple."

Hope snorted. "Friends, right."

"Yes friends. Believe it or not Hope but Liam and I are friends before anything. We don't have secrets and don't have any hidden expectations from each other, other than what we've already set beforehand."

Hope scoffed again. "You, not hiding anything? Don't make me laugh!"

"It's the truth. But it doesn't matter because I don't have to justify myself to you. My life with Liam is none of your business!"

"Of course it is when you took him from me!"

Steffy rolled her eyes. "We're back to that, are we? Ok, open your ears and listen up: I took nothing from you! Liam was a free man when we got together and still is."

"You call this being free when you've tied him to you and are keeping him from the woman he really loves? If you really wanted him free and happy you'd let him go."

Steffy groaned. The other woman was hearing nothing of what she was saying. "Liam is here because he chose to and he loves me, Hope. No one has chained him to the bed, he can leave whenever he wants!"

"You say that but we both know that Liam is a man of his word. He doesn't like leaving someone once he's committed himself!"

"Exactly, Hope: he's committed to me!"

"Oh, don't play games with me, Steffy! You know perfectly well what I'm saying!"

Steffy growled. For a second there she thought the blonde had gotten it but she was wrong. "Give it up, Hope. Liam is with me now and he doesn't want to be with anyone else."

"We'll see who he chooses to be with once I've talked to him."

Clearly, she was delusional, Steffy thought. "But don't you get it? There is no choice to be done. There hasn't been for a long time now."

"That's what you think but I'm going to prove you wrong!"

That was it for Steffy. She trusted Liam but the fact that Hope was so willing to go after him, in their own house while she was there was the last blow.

"I see you're showing your true colors, showing here and ready to shamelessly go after a man who's already committed and living with someone else!"

The blonde whirled around, shooting her come back. "It seems to me that the only way to beat you is to stoop to your level. You've taken him from me time and time again but I won't stand for it this time!"

"Oh will you stop with that nonsense! You had your time Hope, you blew it!"

The next thing Steffy knew, Hope gave a cry and then she was falling onto the coffee table, front down. She tried to brace herself with her hands as much as she could, barely succeeding.

"Hope!"


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

"Hope!"

The sound of her name being shouted with so much shock made her freeze on the spot. Hope lifted her head, wide eyed and speechless to find the subject of their conversation standing there. Obviously, he had witnessed her action against the other woman.

Steffy slid to the floor, back to the table and hands over her stomach, not believing the blonde had become physical with her.

Liam rushed to her side completely dismissing his ex. "Steffy, are you alright?" Overcome with shock, she simply managed a nod while he ran his hands over her body. "Are you sure? I saw you fall against the coffee table you must have hurt yourself."

"I'm fine, Liam. I barely touched it."

Hope looked at the scene, not understanding what the drama was about. "She's perfectly fine Liam," she said, rolling her eyes.

"Shut up, Hope!" he snapped.

She took a step back, as if she had been slapped. Liam had never talked to her like that. "She started it with all her insults. I just defended myself!"

"I don't remember seeing Steffy lifting a single finger against you! Now please leave."

"Liam-"

"Goodbye, Hope." If the first dismissal wasn't clear, this second sure was. He returned his attention to his wife, helping her up. "Come on, I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Really Liam, I feel fine."

"That doesn't mean anything. I am taking you and that's final." They made their way out of the house. "You know where the door is, Hope."

The blonde stood there for a long moment, tears running down her face. What could have happened to make Liam act this way towards her? Surely, he didn't believe whatever lies Steffy had told him, right?

Not knowing what else she should do, she dried her eyes and then opened the door to come face to face with her mother and aunt. Seeing them, she burst into tears again and fell into her mother's arms.

* * *

A while later, Brooke was sitting on her couch, rubbing her daughter's back in comfort. She had tried to talk to her and ask exactly what happened but Hope had insisted they leave Liam's house first. She couldn't bear to be there any second longer.

Katie came into the room with a glass of water, offering it to her niece who accepted it gratefully.

Brooke ran a hand down her hair. "We knew this would happen and we're sorry we couldn't be there on time to prepare you, honey."

Hope laughed through her tears. "It's fine, mom. Steffy is nothing I couldn't handle. No, it's Liam I hadn't expected to react this way towards me."

"Why, what did he do?"

She wiped her eyes and sniffed. "He defended Steffy over me can you believe that? He actually shouted at me!"

Brooke and Katie exchanged a glance. "What else did he say?"

"Nothing… just to leave his house." Hands crossed over her chest, she got up and went to lean on the window to stare at the view outside. When the silence dragged on, Hope turned to look at her mother and aunt. Their shared look didn't go unnoticed this time. "What is it? What are you not telling me?"

After a long moment of indecision, Katie chose to explain. "I learned some shocking news last night, about Liam and Steffy."

She hesitated a moment, which only got her niece impatient. "Well? What is it?"

"Liam joined Steffy in Paris and they got married there."

"What? How is that possible?" Saying she was shocked was an understatement.

"Also, she is pregnant."

"Oh my god!" she covered her mouth with her hands, dropping on the couch. Everything became clear to her now. "That's why he got so mad when I shoved Steffy off!"

"You did what?"

"It was an accident! Steffy kept going on and on about how she got Liam and I just lost it. My emotions were all over the place and my hands got a mind of their own."

Brooke sat down beside her. "Oh honey, I'm sure Liam will understand."

"Yes he will," Katie continued, taking a seat on her other side, "he knows you and that you're incapable of hurting a fly."

"I would believe it if he wasn't with Steffy! I'm sure she's already feeding him lies about me. She already tricked him into marrying her again by getting pregnant. God only knows what she's doing to him right now."

"Just wait a day or two for him to calm down and then you can try again."

"Yeah."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

* * *

Steffy was lying on the examination table, Liam gripping her hand tightly. The ride there had been silent, each lost in their mind and trying not to think the worst.

The moment they heard their baby's heartbeat for the first time though, they exhaled their relief.

"There is your baby," the doctor indicated the monitor, "and it's perfectly fine."

The couple had tears in their eyes. "See, Liam? I told you we weren't hurt."

"I had to make sure. There may not be any bruises on you but she still pushed you into the coffee table. Not to mention the stress she will cause you every time she confronts you with her accusations!"

The doctor switched off the monitor. "Your husband is right Mrs. Spencer. You're young and healthy which should make your pregnancy easy. But it will help it if you avoided any kind of stress. I'll give you some prints of the sonogram."

"Thank you, doctor."

The moment she was out the door, Steffy took Liam's hand again. "I was worried just as much as you but I thought one of us needed to be calm."

"Well, I can already see which one of us will be a worry wart."

"Hmm poor baby. If it's a girl I know she won't get to go out until she's into her twenties."

Liam's eyes almost popped out of their sockets. "Twenties! No no no. If she's as beautiful as her mother she'll have to wait until she's at least forty!" A sudden thought came to his mind. "We'll have to find a way to keep boys from her. She will only be authorized to have girls as friends!"

Steffy finally lost it. "Oh my god, she's not even here yet!"

He pouted. "Yeah well, it doesn't hurt to be prepared. And if it's a boy I know he'll be a momma's boy."

She rubbed her tummy. "Yeah. I expected to have twins, you know?"

Liam's eyes softened. "You miss your sister huh?"

"Yeah. She was my better half. When she died, she took it with her."

He took her in his arms. "She didn't take it. She may not be here physically but she'll always be in your heart."

"I know. I just miss her."

The doctor came back then with their prints. "I also made you a video tape. You'll have to see with the nurse about your next appointment and your vitamins."

"Ok, thank you again for having received us so quickly."

"It was a pleasure. I'll see you in a few weeks. Have a good day."

"Good day doctor."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

 **Sorry for the long wait, but I had some Internet problems then the job followed next.**

 **It's a little short but here it is, enjoy!**

* * *

Later that night, Steffy and Liam were lounging on their couch after having had dinner. After the disastrous start of the day they had, they had chosen to stay at home; work would have to wait another day.

"Hmm. A day of relaxation is nice."

"Yeah tell me about it," Liam said, smiling, "and we were supposed to get back to work today."

"You'll be excused: Bill can't refuse you anything because you got married. It's me that will get a talking to."

"You're the boss' granddaughter; he can't do anything to you."

"Rick finally got the power he's always wanted, he won't spare me, especially after learning that we got married and his sister is unhappy."

"If he gives you a hard time, call me and I'll take care of him alright?" Steffy laughed at that. "I'm serious!"

"I know you are. But I can handle Rick, he's not a problem. It's Hope and her mother I'm worried about. Don't get me wrong, I can take them any day but things are different now; there's the baby to consider."

Liam came to a decision then. He knew his wife wasn't going to like it but it had to be done. "I'll go talk to Hope, straighten things out."

"You sure that's a good idea?"

"I don't know but it has to be done. I told you my voicemail was full, right? Well, it was mostly from her leaving messages about us needing to talk. I don't know what it could be about but after this morning, I want things to be clear."

"She won't like it."

"I'm not asking her to like it but I expect her to respect my wife and what we have."

"In any other day I would have told you to go for it: she has to hear it from you but as you said, her surprised visit made it impossible for any peace talking to take place."

He sighed, knowing she had a point. "We'll have to try anyway."

"Well, good luck with. You're gonna need it."

"Thanks." His answer came out as sarcastic as her comment.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

* * *

Hope was at the office, trying as much as she could to concentrate on her work. But try as she might, Liam always came to her mind. She knew her mother was right and she should give him some time to cool off but it was hard; she just wanted to see him so badly.

And to think, he was at Steffy's mercy! She was poisoning him more and more every day. Just thinking of that made Hope angry. She threw the papers she was working on away and dropped her head in her hands.

She heard a knock at the door and swiftly turned around in her seat. She was pleasantly surprised to find the subject of her thoughts standing there, hands in his pockets. She stood up and took hesitant steps his way, not sure how she should approach the situation.

Finally, she settled on a simple "Hi."

"Hey."

She wrung her fingers together. "I didn't expect to see you so soon."

Liam entered the room fully, closing the door behind him. "I thought we should talk."

"Yeah, that's what I've wanted to do with you the last couple of weeks; well, amongst other things."

"I guessed as much, listening and reading your messages and all."

The two of them shared a laugh at that. "Actually, I wondered why you weren't answering them but now I understand why."

He passed a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I'd switched it off on getting on the plane to Paris."

Hope nodded, dropping her head. "Hmm. Guess Steffy must have loved that."

Liam snapped his eyes back to her. "Oh don't go there!"

"What? I'm only telling the truth: history's repeating itself, don't you see Liam? It's like the first time she tricked you into marrying her. First she convinces you to go to Paris with her and then lies about being pregnant to force you to marry her, again!"

While she talked, Liam tried hard not to get too angry with her. "First, _I_ decided to join her in Paris and _I_ switched my phone the moment I boarded the plane! Secondly, _I_ proposed to Steffy and asked her to marry me, inviting our families there with us. No one had to force me into anything! I took all those decisions on my own! And last but not least, we learned that we were having a baby together, on our wedding night."

Hope's eyes widened at that last part. While it came out as a shock to her that Liam, the love of her life, had decided of his own accord to go to Steffy, the fact that he didn't marry the other woman because of the pregnancy took the cake. But it could still be a lie couldn't it?

"It doesn't mean she's really pregnant. Steffy is a liar, we both know it. You can't believe her about something this big without having any proof."

But Liam shook his head. "You're not listening to me, Hope. I'm not asking you to believe Steffy nor am I making excuses for my wife. My word should be enough for you or do you also call me a liar?"

"Of course not!" The simple idea was ridiculous to the blonde. "But you can't forget the fact that you don't have proof that she's really pregnant!"

"Where do you think we went to yesterday after we left? Do you really think that I would be here talking calmly to you if I had discovered that my wife had lied to me?"


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

The question hung heavily in the silence that resulted after it was asked.

Hope opened and closed her mouth several times, not a single sound passing through her lips. This was it: the turning point of their relationship.

She had an idea of what that meant but she had to know, as difficult as it was going to be.

"Where did you go then?"

Her little voice clearly betrayed her fear but Liam knew it had to be said. "To the hospital: we had our first ultrasound yesterday."

The tears started falling then. "So, she really is pregnant then?"

"Yeah. I was really scared for Steffy and the baby after she fell over the table so, I wanted to make sure they were both fine."

She wiped at her eyes. "And it was all my fault."

The tears intensified when he didn't contradict her but only avoided her gaze. Liam didn't show it but the truth was, he was angry. If it wasn't for Steffy telling him not to be too hard on the younger woman, he would have lashed out on her so scared he had been.

"What about us then?"

Liam screwed his eyebrows together. "What about us?"

"Now that you've married Steffy again and she's pregnant with your baby we're really over?"

"Us not being together is not a consequence of my marriage. Those two things are unrelated and anyway, it was over between us long before I even considered marrying Steffy!"

"Only because Rick had lied to us."

Liam shook his head in denial. "The only one Rick lied to was you: Steffy knew the truth, _I_ knew the truth. The only one who didn't was you. You, you chose to believe your brother's lie over me."

"How did you expect me to react after learning that you'd spent the night before our wedding with her?"

"I expected you to believe me, simple as that! Do you know the difference between you and Steffy?" He didn't give her time to answer. "She takes me for who I am and doesn't expect anything from me but love. She understands and trusts me completely: there are no misunderstandings or drama between us."

"That's because people like your father and my brother don't want us together and conspire against us!"

"And if we were meant to be, we would be together in spite of all that. But that's not the case. Steffy is the one for me: we complement each other."

"This is not how it's supposed to be."

"I'm sorry, Hope. I really am but I've moved on a long time ago. I'm happily married and about to become a father. You and your family need to respect that. Steffy doesn't need the stress of you putting the blame on her for something that doesn't even exist."

The blonde continued crying silently. It was about the only thing she could do now. She had lost the love of her life for good and once again because of Steffy.

"Goodbye, Hope."

The words were said with finality, signifying the definite end of their relationship. With that said, Liam closed the door on his way out, leaving behind a heartbroken young woman.


End file.
